Case Study: Holiday Bowl

San Diego Bowl Games: Holiday Bowl Case Study

As host of the Holiday Bowl each year in December and previously the Poinsettia Bowl, the San Diego Bowl Game Association is a key tourism generator. The Holiday Bowl has been a San Diego institution since 1978 and consistently draws over 50,000 spectators annually, many of them non-locals who travel to San Diego specifically to attend the game.

Receiving $300,000 in funding from the San Diego Tourism Marketing District (SDTMD) in FY 2018, the San Diego Bowl Game Association yielded a return on investment (ROI) of 6.9:1 as a result of the Holiday Bowl. (Moreover, since these games were established, the SDTMD has invested approximately $1.8 million in the San Diego Bowl Game Association, and has seen a return of $12.6 million, a 12:1 total ROI.)

In FY 2018, the Holiday Bowl resulted in over 12,000 hotel room nights, generating over $2 million in total room night revenue. Other key highlights:

The San Diego Bowl Games have generated an average of 22,000 hotel room nights in the month of December for the past four years

Since 1978, the games´ economic impact on San Diego has totaled over $780 million

Millions of households see San Diego in December as a result of nationally televised game coverage. This media exposure showcases San Diego as a destination while much of the country is experiencing winter conditions